The Pension Protection Fund (Investigation by PPF Ombudsman of Complaints of Maladministration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Written representations and right to request an oral hearing and be heard

8.—(1) The referring party, the Board and any person notified of the reference under regulation 5(1)(b) may—

(a)make written representations to the PPF Ombudsman in respect of the referred matter;

(b)request the PPF Ombudsman to hold an oral hearing about the referred matter, and

(c)be heard or represented at any such oral hearing.

(2) Written representations must be sent to the PPF Ombudsman before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the day on which the PPF Ombudsman sends written acknowledgement of the receipt of the reference to the persons to whom it is required to be sent under regulation 5(1) (“the acknowledgement day”).

(3) Where written representations are duly sent to the PPF Ombudsman in accordance with paragraph (2) by the referring party or the Board, he must as soon as practicable after receiving them—

(a)send a copy of those representations to the Board or, as the case may be, the referring party, and

(b)make those representations available for inspection by any person notified of the reference under regulation 5(1)(b).

(4) Where written representations are duly sent to the PPF Ombudsman in accordance with paragraph (2) by a person notified of the reference under regulation 5(1)(b), the PPF Ombudsman must as soon as practicable—

(a)send a copy of those representations to the referring party and the Board, and

(b)make those representations available for inspection by any other person so notified under regulation 5(1)(b).

(5) A request to the PPF Ombudsman to hold an oral hearing must be made in writing and be sent to the PPF Ombudsman before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the acknowledgement day.

(6) On receiving such a request, the PPF Ombudsman—

(a)must consider it, and

(b)if he considers that it is not appropriate to hold such a hearing, must give his reasons in writing to the person making the request.